The hospital that I work at recently started a website just for employees, so we are able to sign in from home and check our email, etc. They just sent out a memo saying that now the mandatory education requirements we have to do yearly are going to be on the same portal, available for us to do at home. In the past, we have always done these requirements at work while being paid. I feel this is something we should be paid for while we are completing them, (they are quite long--some take over an hour to do, and there are probably 10-15 of them required per year) and I don't think we should be able to do them from home. It is difficult to complete them at work (in the past I have always come in early or stayed late to complete them, since we don't have a lot of downtime on our med/surg floor) and so we are being encouraged to complete these at home 'at our leisure.' I feel like this is basically encouraging/asking us to work at home for free! I don't appreciate it one bit, and if my co-workers are willing to do them from home on their own time, that's fine for them but I will continue to do them at work, on the clock, since I consider it work!! I don't like my hospital putting it's employees in this position. Has anyone else had the same experience? What do you think?
Specializes in Geriatrics/Oncology/Psych/College Health.
Common doesn't equal right.
In a hospital setting, there is very little room for advancement because of hard work. Martyrdom is a quick road to burnout. The best you can hope for in terms of hospital advancement is to become a manager who is obliged to turn a blind eye to staff and pt safety concerns to keep your job.
Requirements to keep up my licensure are on my own time. Requirements for inservices for a particular job are to be on the clock, IMO.
Thanks to everyone that replied...and just to clear up any confusion, I am NOT talking about CEU's of any kind...I am talking about facility-mandated training such as fire safety, bloodborne pathogens, our policies on confidentiality, etc. etc... and these are mandatory to be completed every year. If I don't complete them by the end of the year, I can't work. I can not use these for CEU's and they really do not provide me with any new knowledge, just refreshers on facility policies.
I am glad so many people agree with me. I will continue to do my mandatory requirements at work, on the clock, even though I have to take OT to get it in ('downtime' does not exist on my med/surg floor!) But in my honest opinion, I do think it is wrong for my facility to even offer to have people do this at home for free. And I really do wonder if it is legal in my state, however I will not pursure it further. Just wondered if I was being a stick-in-the mud about this or not, and so many people agree with me, that I feel my hospital is in the wrong for encouraging us to do these at home.
Specializes in Happily semi-retired; excited for the whole whammy.
If a person is in a salaried position, there is really no such thing as completing work requirements "off the clock". In a sense, there is no clock. You are paid to perform your job, however long it takes. In an hourly position, you are expected to perform your job for however long you're being paid. Comparing what happens all the time in salaried positions to what can legally occur in an hourly position is comparing apples and oranges, isn't it?
Its not a in your state matter. Its against federal law to require someone to "work" off the clock. See my post above and read the page I have linked. We had to do the same thing at my last job but we were told any we do at home we were to put in the time book up to 6 hours max.
Im going also add a poster mentioned sales and "required meetings". ALot of sales people work on commision, and meeting alot of times are in there best intrest to go paid or not. You miss a meeting you miss information that may assist you in increasing your sales.
rj:rolleyes:
And I really do wonder if it is legal in my state,[/b] however I will not pursure it further. Just wondered if I was being a stick-in-the mud about this or not, and so many people agree with me, that I feel my hospital is in the wrong for encouraging us to do these at home.
]If a person is in a salaried position, there is really no such thing as completing work requirements "off the clock". In a sense, there is no clock. You are paid to perform your job, however long it takes. In an hourly position, you are expected to perform your job for however long you're being paid. Comparing what happens all the time in salaried positions to what can legally occur in an hourly position is comparing apples and oranges, isn't it?
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There are federal guidelines even on salary positions.
Salary positions MUST report overtime. It is the law.
Now whether or not they are compensated for that time depends on many things (including the size of the corporation) But you are still required to report it either way. But no one ever does.
Im going also add a poster mentioned sales and "required meetings". ALot of sales people work on commision, and meeting alot of times are in there best intrest to go paid or not. You miss a meeting you miss information that may assist you in increasing your sales.
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These meetings were mandatory for the whole sales department. Sales people AND sales support (who may or may not be hourly and who are NOT commission).
We also do those "mandatory" tests on the computer. They basically told us they would not pay us to come in and do them when we have time but expect us to do them while we are at work. Like that ever happens, especially if you work days. I do them when i can, when I start hearing the griping coming from admin about not having them done i usually will ask them to arrange a time for me to do them when im on the clock. Well i dont get them done in their "required" time frame and ill get to them as i can, otherwise they will pay me to come in and do them. It's their choice but i wont do them on my time.
Specializes in Happily semi-retired; excited for the whole whammy.
]If a person is in a salaried position, there is really no such thing as completing work requirements "off the clock". In a sense, there is no clock. You are paid to perform your job, however long it takes. In an hourly position, you are expected to perform your job for however long you're being paid. Comparing what happens all the time in salaried positions to what can legally occur in an hourly position is comparing apples and oranges, isn't it?
_______________
There are federal guidelines even on salary positions.
Salary positions MUST report overtime. It is the law.
Now whether or not they are compensated for that time depends on many things (including the size of the corporation) But you are still required to report it either way. But no one ever does.
I am a salaried exempt employee and I have never had to report overtime. I work for a huge state university who really mind their ps and qs, so I am sure if I were required to report hours worked over 40 per week, or days over five or six a week (I frequently at least check and respond to e-mail messages on Sunday) they would make sure that was happening. My husband also is a salaried exempt employee, for a different company, and there have been times he has worked 14 days in a row. Perhaps the reporting requirement you mention is included in a state law.
Everyone I know is non exempt or if they are exempt, the company gives "just" compensation for the time.
But labor laws are anything but clear.
If you have an employee who is salary but doesnt have a degree, you are in very iffy space as an employer. If you do Gov. contract work vs. private you fall under differant rules. If you do international work (as in my mom's company) you fall under differant rules.
There are plenty of salary employees who get overtime. But very few who would dare report it.
***
I dont know much about the nursing environment since I am new to this career. But I know the way it workes in the corporate world.
If there is a company team, you join it. If you dont join it, you are at EVERY game (whether Sat, Sunday or during the week--whether you are paid or not--whether you are salary or not). You do it. You do it with a smile on your face and you make sure managment sees you.
And if you are wise, you will offer to pay for soft drinks for everyone at your own expense. And you will do it and be grateful for the opportunity.
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But my basic point is, if you feel you are being treated unjustly then you must decide whether or not to stand up. You must also have the understanding that it could backfire on you as an employee.
In my case, I didnt mind attending the meeting. However, I refuse to go into a casino. Period. They were even buying dinner and entertainment.
Specializes in Geriatrics/Oncology/Psych/College Health.
I think this is one of those situations you might just have to experience for yourself. Hospital mgt must be viewed in the "give 'em an inch and they'll take a mile" light. The more you are willing to do off the clock, the more will be required of you to do off the clock.
Specializes in ICU, CCU, Trauma, neuro, Geriatrics.
KacyLynn
Maybe your facility can compensate you for doing the mandatories at home on a set time to complete each one. You can easily print out what you complete or save it on disc for your records. That way everyone is happier. You get paid and the facility is in compliance with continuing education. I agree that mandatory education should be compensated for.
Nurse Ratched, RN
2,149 Posts
Common doesn't equal right.
In a hospital setting, there is very little room for advancement because of hard work. Martyrdom is a quick road to burnout. The best you can hope for in terms of hospital advancement is to become a manager who is obliged to turn a blind eye to staff and pt safety concerns to keep your job.
Requirements to keep up my licensure are on my own time. Requirements for inservices for a particular job are to be on the clock, IMO.